The present invention related broadly to air filtration apparatus and, more particularly, to an air filtration device that is configured for abutment against an electrical outlet providing operational power for the device, with atmospheric air flowing into an intake on the front surface of the device, and filtered air being emitted through vents provided on the side of the device.
As the atmosphere in general becomes more polluted and the general population becomes more aware of discomforts associated with dirty air, air filtration devices of all shapes, types and sizes have become more popular. One type of air filtration device provides a small fan for use in a smoky environment. These devices typically will include an electric fan contained in a small housing for tabletop use, with a filter through which the air is directed for removal of smoke and other such contaminants. These small fans are useful for removing odors and contaminants from a confined space, since they typically take up little space themselves and move a relatively small volume of air.
Such current designs, while effective, leave room for improvement in the areas of noise control, air dispersion and filter management.
An air filtration device is provided for intake of atmospheric air, assistance in removal of contaminants from the atmospheric air, expulsion of filtered air and configured for operational association with a generally vertically oriented surface. The device includes a housing defining an air flow path therethrough having a front surface, at least one side surface and a rear surface; at least one air inlet formed in the front surface of the housing; and at least one air outlet formed in the housing intermediate the front surface and the rear surface, for cooperation of the air outlet with a generally vertical surface to which the air filtration device is associated for enhanced dispersion of filtered air expelled through the air outlet. A filter is mounted to the housing in the air flow path and an impeller is provided for moving air through the housing along the air flow path from the at least one air inlet to the at least one air outlet, with the impeller being mounted to the housing.
The air outlet may be formed on the at least one side surface and the air flow path may be defined from the air inlet on the front surface through the filter, through the impeller and outwardly through the air outlet. Also, the side surface may be curved and the air outlet may be formed as a series of vents along the curvature of the side surface.
The air filtration device may further include a bumper member attached to the rear surface of the housing for abutment with a generally vertical surface to which the air filtration device is associated for orientation of the device with the vertical surface. The bumper member may also be formed from resilient material for enhanced noise reduction when the air filtration device is in operation. The filter can be formed as a generally planar member selectively removable from the housing and can include a notch formed therein for directing insertion of the filter in a correct orientation with respect to the air flow path. The housing may include a locating surface formed thereon and corresponding with the notch in the filter to orient the filter in the housing. The housing may also include an icon formed thereon at a position corresponding with the notch in the filter when the filter is inserted in the housing for enhanced visual indication of proper filter orientation.
The air filtration device can include an electric motor for driving the impeller and a pair of electric prongs extending outwardly from the rear surface of the housing for operational engagement with an electrical wall outlet for supplying electric power to the electric motor. The pair of electrical prongs can be configured with each prong in the pair having substantially the same dimensions, so that said air filtration device may be connected to an electrical outlet without regard to the dimensional differences between the socket openings.
The air filtration device may further include an indicator for communicating that the filter should be changed, the indicator providing information after a predetermined period of operation of the air filtration device has passed. The impeller may be driven electrically and the indicator can include an electric timer circuit operationally associated with the impeller for determining when a predetermined time of impeller operation has passed.
A lamp may be mounted to the housing for illumination when the impeller is in operation, with the lamp being in electrical communication with the electric timer circuit and configured to provide pulsating illumination when a predetermined time of impeller operation has passed. A reset switch can be provided in electrical communication with the electric timer circuit to selectively reset the electric timer circuit to a zero operational time setting.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the indicator may comprise an indicator member movably supported by the housing. The indicator member most preferably includes a date wheel rotably supported by the housing and having an annular indicia ring. Indicia are supported by the annular indicia ring for selective rotational positioning relative to the housing at one of a plurality of set positions, wherein each indicia indicates time and is associated with one of the set positions. An indexing device is operably associated with the date wheel for rotationally and releasably retaining the wheel in one of the plurality of set positions. The rotational positioning of the date wheel relative to the housing provides an indication of when the filter should be replaced.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations on that which is described above may be achieved by addition or omission of the features of the features above described.
Accordingly, an air filtration device is provided for intake of atmospheric air, assistance in removal of contaminants from the atmospheric air, expulsion of filtered air and configured for operational association with a generally vertically oriented surface, and includes a housing for abutting attachment to an electrical outlet, the housing defining an air flow path therethrough and having a front surface, at least one side surface and a rear surface; at least one air inlet formed in the housing; at least one air outlet formed in the housing intermediate the front surface and the rear surface; a filter mounted to the housing in the air flow path; an electrically driven impeller for moving air through the housing along the air flow path from the at least one air inlet to the at least one air outlet, with the impeller being mounted to the housing; and a pair of electric prongs extending outwardly from the rear surface for operational engagement with an electrical wall outlet for supplying electric power to the impeller. The pair of electrical prongs can be configured with each prong in the pair having substantially the same dimensions, so that said air filtration device may be connected to an electrical outlet without regard to the dimensional differences between the socket openings. A bumper member is attached to the rear surface of the housing for abutment with a generally vertical surface to which the bumper member may abut for orienting the device with the vertical surface. The bumper may be formed from resilient material for damping vibrations received from the housing to provide enhanced noise reduction when the air filtration device is in operation.
The air filtration device includes an air inlet that is formed on the front surface of the housing and the air flow path is defined from the air inlet on the front surface through the filter, through the impeller and outwardly through the air outlet. The filter may be formed as a generally planar member selectively removable from the housing and includes a notch formed therein for directing insertion of the filter in a correct orientation with respect to the air flow path. The housing may include a locating surface formed thereon and corresponding with the notch in the filter to orient the filter in the housing. The housing may include an icon formed at a position corresponding with the notch in the filter when the filter is inserted in the housing for enhanced visual indication of proper filter orientation.
The air filtration device may include an indicator for communicating that the filter should be changed, the indicator providing information after a predetermined period of operation of the air filtration device has passed. The impeller may be driven electrically and the indicator may include an electric timer circuit operationally engaged with the impeller for determining when a predetermined time of impeller operation has passed. The air filtration device also can include a lamp mounted to the housing for illumination when the impeller is in operation, the lamp being in electrical communication with the electric timer circuit and configured to provide pulsating illumination when a predetermined time of impeller operation has passed. A reset switch can be provided in electrical communication with the electric timer circuit to selectively reset the electric timer circuit to a zero operational time setting. The indicator may alternatively comprise a date wheel rotatably supported by the housing and including indicia comprising symbols indicative of time for providing an indication of when the filter should be replaced.
It should also be understood that the above-described features may be combined under a single, full-featured unit. In that regard, an air filtration device for intake of atmospheric air, removal of contaminants from the atmospheric air, expulsion of filtered air and configured for operational association with a generally vertically oriented surface, includes a housing for abutting attachment to an electrical outlet, the housing defining an air flow path therethrough and having a front surface, a curved side surface and a rear surface; at least one air inlet formed in the front surface of the housing; and a series of vents formed in the side surface intermediate the front surface and the rear surface, for cooperation of the vents with a generally vertical surface to which the air filtration device is associated for enhanced dispersion of filtered air expelled through the vents. A filter is mounted to the housing intermediate the at least one air inlet and the at least one air outlet, with the filter being formed as a generally planar member selectively removable from the housing and including a notch formed therein for directing insertion of the filter in a correct orientation with respect to the air flow path. The housing may include a locating surface formed thereon and corresponding with the notch in the filter to orient the filter in the housing. An electrically driven impeller is provided for moving air through the housing along the air flow path from the at least one air inlet to the vents, with the impeller being mounted to the housing. A pair of electric prongs extends outwardly from the rear surface for operational engagement with an electrical wall outlet for supplying electric power to the impeller. The pair of electrical prongs can be configured with each prong in the pair having substantially the same dimensions, so that the air filtration device may be connected to an electrical outlet without regard to the dimensional differences between the socket openings. A bumper member is attached to the rear surface of the housing for abutment with a generally vertical surface to which the bumper member may abut for orienting the device with the vertical surface. The bumper member may be formed from resilient material for damping vibrations received from the housing for enhanced noise reduction when the air filtration device is in operation.
The air filtration device may include an indicator providing information after a predetermined time period of operation of the air filtration device has passed. The indicator may include an electric timer circuit, as described above, to determine how long the impeller has been in operation and, when the time period has passed, an indicator lamp provides a pulsing illumination. The electric timer circuit may also be provided with a reset switch to selectively reset the electric timer circuit to a zero operational time setting. Alternatively, the indicator may comprise a mechanical date wheel for manual rotation relative to the housing, as described herein.
By the above, the present invention provides an air filtration device that will plug directly into an outlet and utilize the wall behind the device for dispersion of filtered air, while directing air intake from a central source. The present invention also provides a handy visual indication of when the filter is placed in proper orientation with respect to air flow. Further, the device provides reduced noise by damping vibrations transmitted from the housing to the wall against which the device is mounted. Finally, the present invention provides a filter change indicator for providing a convenient visual indication of when the filter should be replaced.